Bridging with Song - by Nigel A JAMES
The Nature of Believing!
Riza Algül
There is one thing about the
Alevitan religion that says very much! It has, so far, survived
for more than 3000 years. And surviving has not always been easy.
Like every other religious group,
the Alevitans suffered periods of uncertainty,
rejection, and persecution, and, they too, were almost
brought to the brink of extinction! But not quite. For
despite all of this, there have always been people prepared to carry
the torch forward. And, so it is, that, thanks to people like
Riza Algül, this nature religion which started on the banks of the
Euphrates is now present all over the world. And, it is set to
continue.
Being a nature religion, the
Alevitan belief, which puts each and everyone of us in the
centre, has no dogma, and, therefore, of course, no book. It is
celebrated by means of music and singing, and dancing
and poetry! And this is Riza Algül.
As he travels the world holding
lectures about the Alevitans, he illustrates them with dances and
songs that go back to days of long, long ago! But, Riza is not only
an excellent musician, singer and dancer, he is an author and
historian, too.
From his home in Vienna, he has
completed two excellent histories of the Alevitans in
his native Turkish. And a third is on its way! And, who
knows, in 3000 years time, the Alevitans of then will be taking
inspiration from his works as well!
Life is nature, and nature is all
of us, too. We were born to be happy!
Selected
Vocabulary
belief – Glaube
brink of extinction – Rande
des Endes
carry the torch forward – Fackel
weiter zu tragen / weiter führen
celebrated – gefeiert
means –
Mittle
period – Zeiten/Perioden
persecution –
Verfolgung
rejection – Ablehnung
suffered
(suffer/suffered/suffered) – leiden
survive
(survive/survived/survived) – überleben
uncertainty – Ungewissheit
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